


Static Starboy

by ardett



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Amputation, Elemental Magic, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Magical Realism, Summer Camp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 11:39:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15290748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardett/pseuds/ardett
Summary: Shiro is dreading going to summer camp while he still has a hard time controlling his powers, but things may start looking up.





	Static Starboy

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Tiny Adventures Voltron Zine](https://tinyadventureszine.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This story is kind of... eh. But it does have some lovely companion art by the wonderful [wizardstove](https://wizardstove.tumblr.com/)!

When his mother and father told him that summer camp was a good idea, Shiro almost believed them. Now he’s absolutely sure they’re wrong.

He should have known from the very first day. His dad had been trying to sooth Shiro as he sniffled, a trembling pout on his lips. His dad had wiped off his cheeks, laid a kiss on his forehead, and ruffled his tuft of white hair.

“You’ll be okay, buddy. You might even have fun.”

Shiro hadn’t smiled back. “Why do I have to go?”

“This is going to help you learn how to use your magic. You want to use magic like mom and dad, right? And you’ll meet other kids here with magic too.”

“But I don’t have magic like you or mom.” He had looked down at the grass staining his new sneakers, face scrunching up. “I don’t have magic like anybody.”

Before his dad could answer, his mother called, “Ready to go?” His dad nodded and after his mom gave him a kiss, they drove away.

Shiro stayed there, staring at the road, until one of the counselors gently led him to the arrival tent.

“You’re Shiro, right?” she asked. “Your mom was telling me about your arm. Just let me know if it hurts or if you need anything else, okay?”

Shiro had agreed - he was familiar enough with this routine - but he knew that none of the other kids were taken aside. None of the other kids’ moms had to talk to a counselor about their defective child. He was different. He always was.

 

Shiro sits on the bench, his knees up to his chest and his hand stuffed in his hoodie pocket, and watches as some of the other kids play tag. They seem like they’re having fun and Shiro thinks about joining for a split second before he remembers why he asked his dad if he could wear an oversized hoodie in the summer weather.

He hunches further into himself, hiding the emptiness of his right sleeve against his chest.

He’s still watching the other kids yell and squeal when one of the counselors crouches down in front of him.

“Shiro! One of our newest campers! Let me introduce myself. I’m Coran! Are you excited to be at Camp Altea, Shiro?” Shiro doesn’t realize Coran has stopped talking until a few moments afterwards. He’s too distracted watching Coran’s orange mustache bob up and down with every word. Eventually, he manages a shrug. “I suppose you don’t know yet because you just got here,” Coran hums. Shiro just shrugs again. “You’re welcome to play tag with everyone else, Shiro. Sitting on this bench does seem a little boring, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I don’t wanna play,” Shiro mutters.

“Well, why- Hey!” Coran jumps to his feet, running over to the group of other kids. “No magic!”

Shiro stays wrapped up in his hoodie until their first activity of the day.

 

Shiro can’t imagine anything worse than morning games. Everyone has to participate in at least one round. Shiro considers lying about his arm hurting but guilt immediately floods him. His mom told him never to lie about something so serious and his dad always said that he needs to give people a chance to accept him as he is.

The sun is really starting to warm the earth now. Even as his shoes soak up the morning dew, Shiro can feel heat gathering under his hoodie.

They start with sharks and minnows, a game where three kids are chosen to try and tag everyone else as they run across the field. Shiro runs besides the others, feet racing over the flattened grass. Almost all of them reach the line of safety. As they ready to make another dash over the field, a few of the counselors gesture with their hands.

The ground undulates before them, creating flowing hills. The grass thickens and reaches up for the sky. The whole field sparkles with the fingerprint of magic.

Shiro smiles for the first time that day, in awe of the earth and plant magic working before him. His own parents both connect with the element of air. He’s used to the faint glimmer in his own house, like dust motes caught in a sunbeam. He’s familiar with a gentle breeze tickling him on the couch and a warm wind on his face in lieu of kisses. Seeing other kinds of magic makes Shiro believe, just for a moment, that there might be a place for him here after all.

 

“Alrighty, everyone!” Coran claps his hands together as everyone comes back from putting away their lunches. “Are you ready to make some magic?”

Shiro shrinks away from all the other kids’ cheers. He doesn’t say anything as they move to an open space.

He stands in the back of the group that gathers around the magic instructor, a woman named Allura. “Remember, magic isn’t about control,” she says. “It’s about connection. One of the elements is calling to you. Are you listening?”

“Yes!” calls one of the boys. Shiro recognizes him as Lance from the introductions they did in the morning.

Allura smiles. “If anyone needs any help, let me or Coran know. We’ll be doing this all week, so don’t feel discouraged if you can’t connect with your magic at first.”

Everyone else starts to break off into groups and Shiro freezes. He feels the first nervous prickles of his magic starting in his fingertips, responding to the heightened energy around him.

He sits down on a log, about as far away as he can be from the other kids, and tucks his hand under his leg. He shifts and his clothes sparkle with static cling. There’s a tickling on the back of his neck as his hair rises. He practices the deep breathing exercises his parents taught him and tries to focus on what the other kids are doing instead of the crackle inside of him.

Lance, the boy from earlier, has a couple of water bottles strewn by his feet, all empty as he draws the water from them into the air. The bubble of water trembles in the wind but Lance already has a smug look on his face. “Told you I could do it!” he tells Keith, another camper. “I’ve been practicing with ocean water and that’s way harder. Watch this!” The water morphs into the vague outline of a school of fish. None of them are perfect, messy around the fins or dropping at the edges, but Keith already looks wonderstruck.

“That’s really cool,” Keith murmurs from where he watches on the ground. Lance gapes, probably in shock at the praise, and in the split second his concentration falters one of the fish falls from the air and splashes onto Keith’s head. Keith blinks and Lance gives a nervous laugh right before Keith’s hands burst into flames. “I take it back,” Keith growls. “I hate everything about water magic.”

Lance doesn’t seem at all deterred. “Hey, you got your flame up!” he exclaims as Keith’s hair begins to steam. “Coran, come look at Keith’s fire!”

“Mmm, in a minute, Lance.” Coran is concentrated on another camper whose fingers are buried in the dirt. “You’re doing great, Pidge. Keep going.”

“You’re so close. I can feel it.” One of the other boys, Hunk, sits next to her, anxiously leaning closer over his crossed legs.

Pidge nudges up her glasses with her shoulder, not taking her eyes away from the ground. “Got it,” she grins. She raises up her hands, palms still parallel to the ground, and between them a stalk of green follows, rising, reaching, _growing._ It’s about a foot high when Pidge moves her hands to the sides of the plant. She pulls her hands apart as if she’s about to clap and the leaves glimmer before unfurling to mimic the stretch of her fingertips.

“Wow…” Hunk murmurs. The earth around him swirls with his excitement. The sparkle of magic in the air reflects in his eyes and Shiro watches on with the same look of awe on his face.

“Shiro?” Shiro jumps as Allura plops down besides him. “Whatever are you doing all the way over here? I know this is your first summer with us but there’s no need to be nervous. Don’t you want to try out your magic?”

“Oh… no.” Shiro curls in on himself.

“Whyever not? Magic is a wonderful gift. You know, I connect with air like your parents.” Allura waves a hand and a gust caresses his cheek. Shiro withdraws his hand to fix his ruffled hair and his fingertips shock his forehead with static. “But I’ve heard that you connect with another energy entirely.”

Shiro looks over to the counselor, wide eyed. “I… How did you know?”

“I will admit that your parents mentioned it to me this morning, but more importantly,” Allura gives him a gentle smile. “The air around you has a slight… charge. There’s no reason to be scared, Shiro. You may not realize it but this space is specially designed for safe magic use.”

“But I can’t control it,” Shiro finally admits, so quiet that only Allura can hear. “Because… Because of my… my arm.”

Allura’s gaze softens. “Remember, Shiro: connection, not control.” Shiro’s forehead wrinkles and Allura clarifies, “Don’t try to force the energy to obey you. Instead, ask it to. Why don’t you give it a try now?” Shiro hesitates. Allura gives him an encouraging nod. He takes a deep inhale.

_Please,_ he breathes. He holds out a shaking hand.

He hears the crackle first. Then, darting through the air like a fairy, a purple spark. And the spark becomes a flash, and the flash becomes a bolt, and the bolt becomes strikes of lightning and electricity dazzling before him. Shiro blinks against the blinding light, his shock caught in his throat. Energy flits between his fingertips, tickling along his palm.

His display grabs the attention of the other campers. Lance murmurs, “Wow…” like Shiro’s magic is something amazing and for the first time, Shiro thinks that maybe it is. As the thought crosses his mind, his electricity leaps higher into the air, sending off brilliant sparks in a firework display. Glittering rain showers down on the clearing, glowing in the pupils of all the upturned eyes. It fades away as Shiro lowers his hand.

The clearing is quiet until Pidge begins to clap, slowly at first but getting louder every time. The other campers join her and Shiro stays there stunned until Allura gestures for him to take a bow. He finally does and pride swells up in him, a warmth kindling in his chest. Maybe summer camp won’t be so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> If the image isn't showing, here's a link to the [tumblr post](http://ardett.tumblr.com/post/175892505520/static-starboy)


End file.
